Ed At War Dribbles
by Nadreth
Summary: Bit's of story about Edward going to war as a dog of the military.
1. Lost Brother

**_A/N: _**_All right - if you clicked on this by dribble I mean pieces of stories I drooled out and never finished because I lost inspiration...I'm posting them because I can, and if you hate never finished stories don't read this, if you want to steal ideas and write your own stuff based on this - go for it! Oooooh...and they're all angst ridden messes because writing happy things is hard.  
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><p><strong>Lost Brother<br>**

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><p>I was eighteen the day I married Winry, my brother was all smiles his stiff uniform seeming out of place on his usually relaxed frame. Everyone always thought it would be Ed and Winry, but for some reason it ended up being me.<p>

I was 19 and celebrating the birth of my first son Henry the day Ed told us he had to leave for Central to help stop an uprising against the State Alchemists. Winry begged him not to go, but he told us he would not be a deserter.

About a year later he returned for a brief visit, we'd heard the reports rebels being slaughtered in the streets, that they were no match for the State Achemists.

Ed was a changed man, rarely smiling and when he did it seemed forced, a haunted look constantly seemed to drift behind his eyes, he wouldn't tell us anything about what had happened. He said we were better off not knowing.

He was a Lieutenant Colonel now, a title he seemed to show no pride in. Winry fought with him a lot in the week he stayed with us, I think the Rebels reminded her too much of the Ishballens. That Ed was one of the soldiers out there cutting them down was too much for her to bare.

Ed went back anyways, he told me he'd signed with the army for life, not just until things got hard.

It was two long years before I heard from or saw my big brother again. And the way I saw him was not as I'd hoped. He had come with a troop of soldiers to search the town for Rebels. And they found them.

Winry unknown to me had been hiding a number of the families in a large barn on the outskirts of town.

And Ed easily figured out where they were. I watched as one tried to run and my brother, my wonderful big brother simply aimed a gun and shot the woman in the head.

I went to see him before he left, he was in a military command tent slumped in a chair, the air was thick with the smell of alcohol.

"I didn't think anyone would want to see me," his voice was empty of emotion.

"What happened to you," I spoke unsure of what else to say to this man I felt I barely knew anymore.

"Life I suppose," he muttered, "But that's not why you're here, don't worry I'm the only one who knows it was Winry, she will be left alone."

"You killed that woman, just like that." I snap my fingers tears welling in my eyes in spite of my efforts to stop them.

"Yes, I killed that woman and many others, men, women," Ed paused and looked up at me, "Even children."

I stare at him, and I find I'm unable to speak.

"Go back to your family little brother, forget I ever existed."


	2. Rebellion

_**A/N:** So this is kind of a continuation...ish...thing of the first bit...I guess...never finished it so that's why both pieces are here._**  
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><p><strong>Rebellion<strong>

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><p>It was the day that Winry had Al's first son Henry that I received word from central that I needed to go help quell the rebellion. The People's Rights group had decided it was the only way to take control.<p>

I packed up the few things I needed and then stopped in to see how Al and Winry were doing.

"Where's my nephew?" I asked grinning as I looked in from the door.

"Brother!" Al exclaimed turning around, the excitement in his eyes seemed to die as he noticed my Uniform and travel bag.

"Where are you going Edward?" even after sixteen hours of labor Winry's voice still could snap through the air more clearly than any Generals.

"I've been called to Central, the People's Rights movement has decided to switch from Diplomacy to attack."

"Why do you have to go Brother?"

"Because I'm a soldier Al, and that's what I have to do."

"You can't," Winry's voice sounded panicked suddenly, "They'll make you kill Ed, you can't go!"

"Winry, I can't desert, what I have to do will keep your family safe," I sighed, "I have to go, I'll write when I can."

I turned with a fake smile and left the room, as I walked away from my home I wondered if I'd ever come back again.

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><p>I arrived in Central the next day, as I walked towards the armys base of operations I had to keep my eyes focused ahead and pretended I couldn't hear the screams of pain or the shouts of hatred.<p>

"Fullmetal, about time you showed up."

I looked over at the man who'd spoken from the entrance to the camp and sighed, "Bastard Brigader General Mustang, I'm amazed you're awake at this hour."

Mustang let out a short bark of a laugh and then motioned at the guards to let me through.

"You can put your belongings in the officers barracks and then I expect you on the wall."

I gave my commander a sloppy salute and went to drop off my belongings before heading back out, it was silent at first, but I knew that wouldn't last.

"Hey Ed, didn't realize you'd arrived," Havok was leaned up against the wall, gun in one hand, a cigarette hung out of his mouth as usual.

"Yeah, well had to get here fast as possible right," I rolled my eyes, "Never should have joined the army..."

"I heard Winry had the baby."

"Uh yeah, it's a boy, Al's really proud, he's going to end up another Hughes in no time."

"Well what'd they name him?"

"Henry," I shrugged, "Couldn't tell you why."

"You seem...quieter than normal," Havok tilted his head.

"Yeah, well I'm not exactly looking forward to what they're expecting me to do."

"Me neither."

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><p>They attacked just as twilight came, they were using outdated weaponry and what Alchemists they did have were mediocre at best. At first I didn't have to do anything, but then they started getting too close,<p>

"Fullmetal, stop them."

I clapped my hands and a wall slid out of the ground carrying one Rebel up and as it did I watched him slip and fall, the ground turned him into paste and I almost froze before I remembered where I was.

Don't think just do, I clapped my hands again and the wall fell right into the rebel forces, I could hear them scream as it went down.

A megaphone sounded out and I heard Mustang demanding the Rebels surrender.

And of course they didn't. No one surrendered for three hours, and then finally this particular group gave in.

I went from only ever having killed homunculus to having killed well over a hundred people.

As I stood watching the prisoners file in I felt emotionless, like it wasn't really happening to me.

I saw one man reach under his coat as he passed and I ran up and grabbed his arm, he struggled and one shot from the gun he'd been reaching for went off, it hit another prisoner in the face. A young women who reminded me too much of Rose.

I let go for a moment, but only so that I could clap and press my hands into his chest. He exploded, blood splattered all over the place and I froze in place, I didn't even remember trying to do it.

"Fullmetal," Mustangs voice, "Fullmetal?"

I looked up at my commander and then back down at all the blood.

"I need to wash this off," it was the only thing I could think to say.

"Go on Ed," his voice sounded softer than normal and I wondered why, "Go clean yourself up, you did well."

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><p>Day 456<p>

We were almost done rounding up the rebels in Central, the Fuhrer said we were to find everyone involved in the coup, everyone in the whole country, I knew I wouldn't be going home anytime soon.

The Fuhrer was visiting our camp that day.

"Ah Major Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, I hear you are quite the machine on the field," the Fuhrer stood in front of me as I saluted.

Inwardly his words made me wince, outwardly I simply nodded, "Thank you Sir."

He nodded and continued on, I decided I disliked the small man who had become our Fuhrer, and not just because he had me killing people.

After he left I slumped down at the officers table and looked over at Mustang, "When are you going to get off your lazy ass and become Fuhrer?"

"Any day now Fullmetal, any day..."

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><p>Almost a year after I left for central my troop neared Risembool, Mustang encouraged me to go see my family, I was not so sure I wanted to.<p>

I'd been promoted recently to Lieutenant Colonel for my valor in the field and I wasn't sure I could face my family with it hanging over my head like that, but I went anyways, everyone told me I should.

I stood in front of their door for what felt like an eternity before I finally knocked, it felt like it should have been raining but instead the sun was shining as bright as ever.

Winry opened the door, Henry balanced on her hip, her eyes widened, "Edward!"

"Brother?" a voice came from inside the house and I watched as Al hurried over to the door and pulled me into a hug.

"Hi Al."

"Come in," Al excitedly backed out of the way to let me through.

I somewhat stiffly entered and settled myself in a chair.

"Whats the medal for brother?"

"Valor," I muttered.

"Did you have to save a lot of people for that?"

"I'd rather not talk about the army or the war Al."

"He had to kill a lot of people for that medal," Winry sounded furious, "I know what badges and medals mean Lieutenant Colonel Elric."

I stared at the floor as shame washed through the whole of my being, "I shouldn't have come."

"No brother it's fine," Al had a frantic look to his eyes, "We can talk about other things."

And we did, we talked about when we were kids and how little we'd known, we talked about Henry and we went on well into the night.

"I'm going to bed," Winry smiled, "You two should get some rest as well."

"I'll be right there," Al laughed.

After Winry left Al's face turned serious, "What happened?"

"I said I don't want to talk about it Al."

"I thought you meant with Winry around," he looked hurt, "You've always told me everything."

"Not this Al," I stand and face away from my brother, "You're better off not knowing."

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><p>For two days we got along and acted as though there was no war. But then on the third day during breakfast...<p>

"So Ed we can set up a room for you since I assume you're planning on staying in Risembool."

"I'm only here for a week Winry, and then we leave again."

"The rebellions over," Winry scowled, "What could they possibly need you for now?"

"We haven't caught all the rebels yet."

"You mean killed?" she snapped yanking her apron off angrily.

"Winry, I have a duty-"

"Duty to your country Edward?" she cut my speech off, "And how many innocent people is your precious country planning on killing this time?"

"It's your country too!"

"This hasn't been my country since they killed my parents," she snarled.

I stood abruptly and headed for the door, "I'm going for a walk."

I walked for an hour before I found myself standing in front of the remains of my old house, my mothers house.

Phantom pain plagued my non-existent limbs as I stared at it; she wouldn't be proud of me.

"I thought you were visiting your family."

I turned to find Mustang standing a short distance behind me.

"Yeah well I needed a walk, they keep asking me about things I'd rather not tell them."

"Civilians normally do that, especially civilian family."

"And Winry," I shook my head, "She just won't lay off, I think this whole thing is making her think of her parents."

"Ah," Mustang frowned, "Well I'd tough it out for now Ed, their family and if they ever do see you in action you'll wish you'd had this time with them."

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><p>I stayed with them until the end of the week, and then I returned to my troop.<p>

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><p><strong><em>AN: _**_And that's it._


	3. This Is War

**_A/N: _**_Whoever came up with the war in Drachma thing originally was brilliant...this is my brief attempt that went no where at all._

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><p><strong>This Is War<strong>

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><p>The war with Drachma had been going on for two years now and Edward Elric sat frozen in a trench, his coat wrapped tightly around his body glaring at the dirt wall enclosing him.<p>

"Get some sleep Elric, we don't know when it'll be quiet like this again."

"You get some sleep," the young Alchemists voice held a snide quality.

"I have slept, you haven't in two days."

Ed finally turned to view his commanding officer General Mustang with an irritated expression on his face.

"I can't sleep," he finally said quietly, "When I try it's just nightmares, you of all people should understand that."

"I also understand that if you don't sleep you're liable to fuck up and die," Mustang spoke in a calm almost off-hand manner, "And do you have any idea how hard it would be to replace you?"

Ed scowled and it pulled uncomfortably at the scar he'd earned in his first month at war. An enemy soldier had slashed him across the face because he'd hesitated to kill the man.

"Fine, I'll sleep," the Fullmetal Alchemist climbed past the various soldiers to the makeshift barracks they'd created dug into the ground. As he passed he could hear one of the new recruits asking if that was really the Alchemist of the People.

Ed turned back to snap on the bastard until he caught the new recruits eye, it was just a kid, couldn't have been more than fourteen, apparently they were getting that desperate for soldiers. So he just turned away, he wouldn't break the kids naivety, the war would do that soon enough.

As he walked to the nearest cot he heard a voice to the left, "Hey Fullmetal, General finally convince you to sleep?" It was Havoc, cigarette dangling from his mouth as usual.

"Fucking children is what their sending us now."

"And you're not?"

"I'm twenty in two days Havoc and if I was a child when this started I'm sure as hell not now."

Havoc let out a short laugh and then stood up, "Enjoy your sleep Fullmetal, I gotta head back out."

Grumbling Ed slid into the cot yanking the thin blanket provided up over his head.

The sound of gunshots jolted Ed from his nightmare in which he'd been attempting to save Al and then failing over and over again.

Gunshots, the war, Al was home, safe...unlike him, thank god for small blessings.

Ed swung out of bed and climbed back up and into the trench.

"What've we got General Bastard?"

"Food supply train trying to make it across the forest to the north."

Ed sighed, he hated these ones, the trench across from theirs belonged to the enemy at the moment but they were winning, and if they wanted to keep gaining ground they'd have to keep cutting off supplies.

It wasn't an honorable way to win but it worked when the enemy was hiding in their hole.

"What's the plan?"

"You take a squad west and get behind them and we will halt their movement from here, when they are sufficiently distracted move in."

"Right," Ed turned towards the men and made a quick motion for his squad to follow, the new kid was apparently one of his replacements.

Sneaking around them wasn't hard and then Edward clapped his hands causing the ground under the supply caravan to ripple knocking most of the soldiers guarding it to fall over. That was the signal for Mustang to cease fire and for Ed to move in.

He pulled his gun up into his hands and opened fire.

After the blood bath was finished Ed was taking stock of the goods and heard a low moan from the back of the supply cart.

He climbed across it and reached down pulling up the man he found at the back. It was a medic, and Ed's mouth formed a grim line.

"Please you capture me, I not resist, I surrender."

"I'm impressed you even know our language, that makes this easier and harder though, I have nowhere to put prisoners you see, and the last one I took in anyways tried to kill me in my sleep."

"You can't kill, I surrender."

"I wish that were so."

A loud bang echoed through the clearing and as Ed finished collecting up the supplies he caught a glimpse of the new kid staring at him as though he were a monster.

"What happened to him?" the whispered talk of soldiers around a campfire.

"I don't know he's been here since the start though so..."

A more mature gruff voice cut into the conversation, "The Lieutenant Colonel does what's necessary to get as many of us as he can out of this alive, it may not be pretty but don't think badly of the man."

"He was so cold when he was speaking to that doctor, when he killed that doctor."

"You don't understand and you just pray you never do, in the meantime you keep those sort of feelings to yourself kid, there are men here who'd deck you for saying even less than that about Fullmetal."


End file.
